COUNTRY

CHAMPIONSHIPS

EVENT HISTORY

Past Winners

Country Championship Final – Royal Randwick

Clearly Innocent Rules The Country Championships in 2016. Despite a setback just 24 hours earlier, Clearly Innocent strode away with the $400,000 Country Championships Final at Royal Randwick on Day 1 of The Championships. The Greg Bennett-trained four-year-old was in doubt on the Friday before the race after his trainer reported to stewards that Clearly Innocent was being monitored for stone bruises to it’s off fore hoof. But Clearly Innocent’s was passed fit to start on Saturday morning and with Tommy Berry in the saddle was too classy for the big field, defeating Pera Pera by 2.5 lengths with Ever So Natural in third.

South East Country Championship Qualifier

Pumpkin Pie justified her intense favouritism with a dominant win for trainer Danny Williams at her home track. With Jay Ford aboard, she overcame a wide barrier to reach the finishing post at Goulburn one and a half lengths ahead of her nearest rival. Anne-Marie Ruttley’s Steel Frost chased hard for second place and will also represent Goulburn in the final.

Hunter & North West Country Championship Qualifier

A plan that had been 12 months in the planning came to fruition when the Greg Bennett trained Clearly Innocent (Tommy Berry) stormed down the outside to win the Hunter and North West Country Championship Qualifier (1400m) at Scone.
The Bennett trained All Summer Long (Blake Shinn) finished second, beaten one and a quarter lengths and both horses have qualified for the final at Randwick on April 2.

Southern Districts Country Championship Qualifier

The unusually named Steakandbearnaise made a name for himself when he won the $100,000 Country Championships Qualifier for Brett Cavanough.
Apprentice Kayla Nisbet rode a superbly judged race on Steakandbearnaise who ran down a very game Mitchell Road ($21) to win by a half-length.

Mid North Coast Country Championship Qualifier

Cogliere booked a trip to Royal Randwick for him and his large group of excited owners with a thrilling win in the MNCRA Country Championships Heat at Taree.
Apprentice Andrew Adkins piloted the horse to victory for Port Macquarie trainer, Marc Quinn, edging out Shotgun Roulette by half a length.

Northern Rivers Country Championship Qualifier

Perfect Dare secured the first place in the 2017 Country Championships final with a runaway victory for trainer Matthew Dunn in the Grafton heat. Under the guidance of jockey Jim Byrne, the gelding kicked away in the straight to win by five lengths, breaking the course record for 1400m. Outside chance Free Standing put in a strong run for second and also qualified for the final.

Central Districts Country Championship Qualifier

THE Mack Griffith-trained Pera Pera has confirmed himself as a contender for the Country Championship crown after taking out the Central Districts Qualifier (1400m) at Wellington.

Pera Pera entered the $100,00 event race as favourite and he didn't let the wide draw trouble him as jockey Aaron Bullock immediately got towards the front and then showed all his class down the home straight as he went on to win by one-and-a-third lengths.

Western Country Championship Qualifier

Stoneyrise caused a major upset in the Dubbo heat of the Country Championships, surging home to snatch victory from odds on favourite, La La Loopsy. The gelding, trained by James Hatch at his cattle station on the Queensland border, won thousands of admirers with his performance. La La Loopsy’s trainer, Peter Nestor, has now qualified a runner in every Country Championships final since its inception.

Wildcard Country Championship Qualifier

There was barely a dry eye among the connections of Chrysolaus after he won the $50,000 Country Championships Wild Card race at Muswellbrook.
The four-year-old grey was owned by country racing stalwart John Clift, but when he died in February the horse was passed on to the family.
“There were a few tears after the win, it was emotional,” said trainer Jane Clement. “It was a great day and it gives me a bit of confidence when you win a race like that.”